This post can be used to thread with or get in contact with Richard at any point when he doesn't have a post up! Just comment here (please use the format [Action, June 24th], [Voice, March 5th], etc. to make it clear when the thread is taking place and what type of thread it is) for a thread with him; if it's a continuation of another thread or post, please link that so I remember the context of the thread.

GO NUTS.

Richard hails from Tales of Graces, a game that hasn't yet been released in the US. Since it has been announced for a release Stateside, however, this post is where you can let me know if you'd rather not be spoiled for anything about the game. Please try to be specific on what you're okay with: IE if you don't mind any kind of spoilers, if you're okay with knowing details about the world and the characters but no plot spoilers, or if you'd rather I didn't tag you with Richard at all.

So, leave me a comment here!

[Okay, so between everything that's been happening lately, Richard ALMOST forgot what date was coming up. Fortunately he remembers just in time to actually do something about it-- and do something about it he will whether Isamu wants it or not, which is why he's carefully filtering this message away from his friend.]

For those of you who know him, Isamu's birthday happens to be on Tuesday. I'm preparing a small party for him at House 28; any friends of his are welcome to stop by to give him birthday greetings and enjoy some food. I just ask that you not say anything about this to him ahead of time-- it won't be much of a surprise if he knows about it, after all.

[Later that afternoon Richard can be found hauling home a sizable box of decorations (the birthday ones are hidden beneath a seemingly innocuous mound of Christmas decorations) from the store, looking in a much better mood than he's been in for weeks. He can't explain this sudden cheer and he's not sure he wants to; right now he's just intent on enjoying the festive atmosphere while it lasts and trying to prepare a surprise party for his friend without said friend finding out about it-- which might be a difficult task considering they share a room.]

[It started out as a normal day-- if it can be called "normal" considering that two of his housemates are currently about eight years younger than usual, but fairly uneventful regardless. The "keep Asbel from getting himself or Hubert killed" duties were passed back and forth between him and Cheria as needed until finally he managed to escape and leave them to pester Cheria about the dinner she's currently preparing.

... come to think of it, he hasn't seen Sophie all day. He should go let her know that dinner is almost ready.

He hardly gets the door open six inches before he realizes with a sinking feeling that something is terribly wrong. Sophie's room is empty, bare, as if no one had ever lived in it at all. And Richard has been in Luceti long enough to know what that means...

It's with a neutral expression born from years of practice that he shuts the door behind him and heads back downstairs to inform the others of this, opening his journal to send a short message on the way.]

For those of you who knew her, Sophie has been sent back home to Efinea.

[He really isn't looking forward to explaining this to Asbel and Hubert...]

( Action for housemates (and Paprika, if she'd like to dream hop), cut for Graces spoilersCollapse )

[Voice]

[Some time later, in the wee early hours of the morning, Richard will pick up his journal. It's a bit too awkward for him to ask outright for what he wants because A) this is not Cheria he's asking, and B) he was half-joking that time he asked her anyway, so he'll couch it in slightly different terms.]

It's rather boring at this hour of the night... would anyone happen to know any interesting songs to pass the time until I fall asleep?

[Better than asking for someone to sing him to sleep, at least.]

( [Explanation (Tales of Graces spoilers beneath cut)]Collapse )

Afternoon will find him sitting quietly in the front yard of House 43, eyes shut. Is he meditating? Asleep? Only one way to find out.]

[The handwriting for this particular entry is far neater than what is usually seen in the journals: a strong, tidy hand, though it may look rather unusual to anyone not from Efinea.

He'd almost filtered it before realizing that doing so would be going against what he was working on at the moment, so instead he leaves it open to be seen by all.]

To those of you who have ever sought a way to stop something you weren't always aware you were doing, how did you go about doing so? More specifically, I would like suggestions on how to be more honest, both with myself and with others.

[Richard hasn't been spending much time at home lately, so today, like most of the days before it, he'll be out for a walk in the snow, seemingly lost in thought as he just wanders through the village and out a ways into the forest before heading back once it starts to get dark. He'll pause outside of House 28, though, lingering for a moment as if deciding whether or not to knock on the door. The residents there might catch him doing so; he's not being very subtle about it.

Later that evening, housemates will find him fast asleep on the couch, a book open in his lap and a cup of tea going cold on the side table. He might be starting to tilt over, too...]

[There are the sounds of a somewhat muffled conversation in the background before Richard picks up the journal to address it, a clear undercurrent of happiness and slight excitement to his voice.]

So this is what they refer to on Earth as a "white Christmas." I've read that this sort of Christmas is the best kind to have despite the weather... what do all of you think? Do you prefer the snow, or would you like a sunny day?

[He'll be sitting on the couch sipping a cup of tea while he waits for answers-- and his housemates, because IT'S CHRISTMAS AND HE IS EXCITED due to not having this holiday in his world. Might as well enjoy it while he's here, right?]

[There are few things guaranteed to wake a guy faster than rolling over onto two soft and squishy things that are very definitely not supposed to be there. That's such a surprise, in fact, that Richard ends up jumping and knocking the journal off the nightstand with a decidedly feminine shriek.

There's silence for a long moment, then... it's a woman's voice that comes on over it.]

... Naoki, please don't look at me right now.

[Then, realizing that the journal is open and recording, he'll pick it up (making sure to keep the image portion pointed far away from him) and try to go about sounding as perfectly normal and calm as he can considering that he woke up and suddenly found himself a member of the opposite sex.]

Forgive me; if I woke anyone up, I apologize. There's no need for concern-- at least, none beyond the usual sort during an experiment.

[... let's just ignore how awkward this is going to make the household right now.]

[Anyone near the western edge of the village this afternoon might spot a young man in the garb of a New Feather staring at the village with a bit of a perplexed expression, one hand resting on his hip. It's pretty obvious that this isn't where he'd been a few hours ago (the wings would be perhaps the biggest hint of that), but what he's not sure about is whether he's still in Windol or not.]

This isn't Lhant, and it's too big to be Ohlen. [He shakes his head.] Where in the world am I? And what happened to Asbel, Sophie and Miss Pascal...?

[OOC: Wanted to get him settled in before all of the chaos with the Remnants goes down! Also, if you haven't already tagged his permissions post, please do so to make things easier for me.]